That One Lingering Light
by LadyParisofMerp
Summary: I was there at the beginning, middle, and end of this tale. I caused it all. The seal, the deaths, the betrayal. I am the Shikon Jewel. Granter of life, power, and riches. Now, for the first time in all of the time I have existed, someone has granted me MY one true desire and I have no intention of letting it go. Disclaimer:I don't own Inuyasha. KogaxOC (cuz I like Koga). ENJOY!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there! Hola! Aloha! And what's up?**

_Just thought of this today and I hope you like it! This is my second Fanfiction_ (that I actually let people read) so please enjoy and review.

If you like this one and haven't read my other, **_Arion_**, then please do.

Nothing else right now. **DQA **out.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_I had not **physically** been there nor do I wish had been. Though, I could hear it all from the inside._

_"Its Inuyasha!" a villager had shouted in fear. _

_I heard a different mans voice this time. I assume it was that of this Inuyasha man. "Finally a way for me to become all demon at last." He smashed through the roof causing pots and lantern to fall over and crash to the floor. he swiftly grabbed the jewel and retreated while creating another whole in the shrine. The villagers shot arrows at him, although not actually hitting._

_"Inuyasha!" The woman said. His focus wavered for that one second as he was instantly pinned to the tree. I could feel the spirit power resonating off of the arrow that had been shot._

_"K-Kikyo. How could-? I thought-?" _

__I also heard the blood dripping from her. "_Big Sister. You're hurt." a younger voice spoke._

__"Lady Kikyo. That wound is-."__

__"I lost my self and for this. The sacred jewel which-. Gah!"__

__"You're in pain. Let someone-"__

__"I won't feel it much longer. And so I give this to you. The Shikon no Tama which you must burn with my body. It must not fall into the hands of those who would abuse it." That woman, Kikyo, then collapsed to the ground.__

__"Sister Kikyo. Sister Kikyo!"__

**_I shall take it with me to the other world. _**_The flames engulfing me along with the priestess. _It is hot and I do not like it. It makes me feel...strange. Warm, maybe? __

* * *

_But that was fifty years ago._

_All I felt was the darkness. _

_It was here. Now. _

_Darkness. _

_A dark so black that even the faintest glimmer of light would be trapped forever like a caged bird. This black was indescribable though I am doing my best to describe it for you now. I suppose you could say that it was the kind of darkness that you could...heal? _

_I felt warmth though there would always be the pain. All there would ever be is pain. People only came when they want my power. When they know EXACTLY what they __want._

_Pure to impure. That is my power. Impure to pure. Good to bad. Bad to good. Rich to poor. Strong to weak. Needy to greedy. An unlimited amount of power that is simply not of its worth. __I have resurrected the dead, healed the sick, increased one's speed. I have done it all._

_Darkness._

_A dark so lonely that I found myself talking to the voices in my head. They screamed loud as the demons outside of this little room where I sat._

_Darkness..._

_Dark...ness..._

_Pure to impure. Impure to pure. Good to bad. Bad to good._

_Darkness and then...l__ight?_

_"Stop it." My power was... syphoned...somehow. "I did that before too- in the well. But how'd I do it though.?" This girl is making me glow? Is she able to **use** my power? "What's happening now?"_

_The centipede woman charged toward the young girl. She threw her into the air, severing me from her body. _

_"Gimme the jewel, quick. Hurry!"_

_"I heard some half-demon spawn was after the. It's you isn't it?" Mistress Centipede _

_"Half's all i need to beet your scaly hide. Any more then that would be a waste of my time."_

_"Listen you talk big, but can you back it up?" He looked at her confusedly. "Can you or not?"_

_"What can he do pinned there like that? Or you for that matter? You're powerless to stop me." She laughed sinisterly at the duo. "You're helpless the both of you."_

_Mistress Centipede inched closer to where I lay on the ground. "Don't you dare" The half-demon warned. She _bent downward towards me, swallowing me whole.__

_"It swallowed the jewel"_

_"Lady Kaede, what should we do?"_

_"My power is complete!" The centipede shouted as she shed her outer skin. It now bore a slight reddish pink skin, glowing red eyes, sharp yellow teeth, and five of its arms, the sixth still in that well._

_"Hey can you pull out this arrow"_

_"Huh?"_

_"Look, can u pull you this arrow or not?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"Nay child. Once the arrow is removed Inuyasha will destroy us all."_

_"Don't be stupid you old hag at least with me you got a chance where as that thing's gonna eat you. How 'bout you? You ready to die yet?"_

_"I want to LIVE!" The girl shouted as she yanked out the arrow from his chest. The _arrow disappeared from her hand turning into a bright purple dust. When this happened Inuyasha began laughing maniacally at the situation at hand. He attacked demon hastily, not even thinking to wait one second and, well, think.__

_"Iron reaver, Soul stealer." The centipede woman split into about 10 large pieces, dying instantly._

_"Find glowing flesh with the jewel lest Mistress Centipede be revived."_

_"Its over there." _

_The priestess reached into the flesh of the dead demon and gave it to the younger girl. __"Only ye may possess the sacred jewel."_

* * *

Swallowed yet again! That damned carrion crow. "Inuyasha! No, you'll hurt the boy!"

"Back off! Iron Reaver." The crow and the boy fall in the river.

"Help somebody help!" I heard a splash. the villagers were becoming hyped over a swimming girl. _Idiots._

"Save the Jewel stupid! The Jewel!" _Thank you! Someone is thinking about me!_

"Hmmph" She just brushed him off.

"Its getting away."

"Ahhh" The crow talon was stuck to the boy's shirt.

"Hey could I borrow bow."

"Huh uh. Yeah sure." Kagome removes the crow foot from the boys collar and ties it to the arrow before she aims.

"My butt she's gonna hit it."

"I can do it. I know it."

"I get it she's shooting the foot!" Inuyasha gasped as he realized what was happening.

"Yes"

"She hit it!" _Shing! _The arrow hits and among impact, creates a blinding purple light. Beams of light spread across the sky causing and amazing sight, if I do say.

"That light. Where is it coming from?"

__CRRAAACK! The sound caused panic to fall upon me. CRACK! CRACK! The noise of shattering glass surrounded me. Darkness. Darkness. My DARKNESS! ___What is happening? __Am I breaking?_

They search for where the jewel had fallen though there is no luck until a demon bird attacks Kagome as it unleashes an ear-shattering squawk. "Oh no you don't! Iron Reaver!" The bird dissipates and a single shard falls. It glows for a moment, dims and then glows brighter again when Kagome tries to pick it up forcing my spirit out.

"W-who are you?" Kagome asks as she falls backward slightly.

"I am the Shikon no Tama."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"She says she's the sacred jewel."

"Is this true?"

"I am the Shikon no Tama." The woman spoke. She was a thin woman who had a very pale pink skin tone, that was almost unnoticeable, and light (almost white), chin-length, messy, lilac hair that complemented her large yet sharp magenta eyes. Her hair was slightly brushed behind her ears showing that her left ear was human and her right, pointed like a demon's. She wore a white kimono that had lilac and and fuchsia spirals donned on it and baggy white pants that fill into her dark purple ankle high boots. The kimono's left sleeve was full length while the right was torn short. On her left shoulder she has a shoulder plate that connects to the silver armor on her chest held down by a thick brown belt that had circle a slot filled only with the single shard that she came from as a buckle. Her right arm had three scars above the elbow and a dragon scaled meshed sleeve that began at the elbow and ended at the middle finger. "But, you can call me Jewel."

"That's impossible!"

"And how would you know that _Inuyasha_?"

"How do you know my name?"

"How do I know anything? I learn things. I listen. Not to mention that my favorite guardian priestess was Kikyo and she talked about you ALL of the time."

After being speechless for a solid 20 seconds he says "Don't take this the wrong way but, I ain't heard any talk about a woman coming from the jewel."

"Idiot." she says as she punches him over the head. "Its never happened before, the only ones to ever see me like this, are fighting in my shards as we speak."

"Then why now?" The girl, Kagome, asked.

"YOU BROKE ME! Stupid girl. Where do you find them, Inuyasha?"

"Technically it wasn't Kagome who broke it but the crow's foot she attached to her arrow that actually caused it." Kaede says a matter-of-factly. "As ye saw the jewel has now been shattered into many piece"

"I'm right here y'know!"

"Yes sorry, Jewel has been shattered into many pieces. 100. 1,000. Who knows? Yet however many shards there may be. All it would take is one in the wrong hands to bring disaster."

"I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"Kagome, Inuyasha, only by working together will the two of ye be able to recover Jewel's shards."

"You won't catch me complainin'. I'm those wrong hands you were talkin' about."

"Oh that I know all too well."

"Again. Right here."

_But I wanna go back home._ Kagome thinks to herself.

"Quit your yappin'."

"Listen here dog boy. Its your responsibility to find the rest of me and if you don't, I will personally put you down."

"Bring it on. I ain't afraid of a little girl like you."

"Little-? I'll have you know that I am centuries older than you!I don't even look like a little girl. I have BOOBS! Not flat! At all!"

"Did you say something, little girl?"

"Why I oughtta-!" The two bickered until they heard the swish of the bamboo curtain. They gave each other confused looks before they realized that Kagome had left the small home and followed after her. Kaede lets out a soft sigh before following after the three.

(-Jewel's PoV-)

_Darkness. my sweet, sweet darkness. How I miss you so. Though it has been but a day with these people I still wish to return to you. I'm safer where you are. I'm not meant to see the light of day like other jewels. What is this warmth that I feel now? Its too warm. The cold darkness is all I need._

"SIT BOY!"

_What was that?_

"Huh? Wahh!"

"Whats Goin' on-.? Ahh!" I was having a pleasant dream one moment and then the next, there is a half demon falling face first into my back. "Get the hell off of me stupid!"

"Be ye alright Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha?! What about me?" I yell as I struggle out from under him. He is actually a little heavier than he looks.

"Man I forgot about this stupid necklace of yours."

"It serves you right for spying on me you peeping tom."

"Heh! Shows what you know. The real reason I came was to-"

"Ye really came to steal this shard. Ye forget only yon girl can find those shards. While only ye, Inuyasha, have the strength to take them back once found."

"And YE also seem to forget that THAT YOU ARE SITTING ON ME!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

"Oh you're still here?" he asks still sitting on me.

"Yes and I'm that shard that you want to steal. So cut it out."

"Wait how can Kaede have the shard if you are right here?"

I push him off of me causing him to fall off of my body."It came from my belt. It holds all the pieces of my jewel form, or rather, held. Until your new human, my bad, the crow's foot broke me."

"Hey!"

"I told you to get off of me."

"Whatever. Anyway, in case you haven't noticed, I'm still here ain't I? I could put up with anything for the jewel. The stone not the person." He muttered that last part under his breath.

"You really do hate me don't you?" He did not answer Kagome's Question

"And what ales ye now, Inuyasha?"

'He's mad 'cause she looks like his dead girlfriend." I mumble under my breath, leaning back up against the small cliff side.

"Lady Kaede. It's my daughter" A village woman, who appeared out of nowhere by the way, said.

"I see. I will be checking on ye two later. Try not to fight." And then Kaede, along with the woman, went back to the village, leaving the three us here. Alone.

"Good luck with that _ye two_~. Ha! Yeah right." I mock.

"Shut up you dusty old rock!"

"What was that, Lap Dog?"

"You two fight more than me and Inuyasha."

"What?" We yelled in at her in unison.

"Nothing nothing." Then there was an awkward silence. I noticed that there are a lot of those.

"Hey."

"Now what do you want." I open on of my eyes to watch Inuyasha speak.

"Get undressed." His words earned him a bump on the head from a rock by Kagome. _Idiot._

"That hurt! Why did you-"

"You're such a pig."

He pointed to her clothing that laid sprung over some makeshift drying rack. "I didn't say get naked stupid," He clarified, "I just can't stand seein' you in those clothes!"

"Why? Is it because I look like Kikyo?" _That's exactly what it is. _I mentally laugh to myself as I listen to the unfolding situation. _Inuyasha really is stupid. That's not all though. Kagome really looked Just like Kikyo but, Kikyo was smarter, and nicer, and well...better? Is that the right word?_

He was at a lost for words, proving that Kagome had been correct. It didn't help that he he finally spoke he sounded like a four year old kid. "Its got nothin' to do with it. Okay?"

"Look I don't want to do this either, okay? But, we gotta work together.

"I ain't gotta do nothin'. Its you who needs me."

"Oh I get it. So you don't care if I go back home?"

His ears perked up at the sound of her removing the clothes from the rack. "Hey where ya goin'?"

"What do you care? I'm going home. Good bye, Inuyasha. Are you coming, Jewel?"

"I guess." I shove my hands into my pockets and lift myself from the ground.

"You can't just leave. You-"

"My name isn't you. It's Kagome."

"Wait, Stupid!"

"It's not stupid either."

"Will you just wait and hear me out

"Why so you can convince me to stay

"No so you can give me your Jewel Shard

"What this?" She says as she holds up the small red bag with my shard in it "Sit Boy."

"Later, Lap Dog." I wave and give him a mocking grin. After a short-ish walk to the Bone-eater's Well, I speak up, saying "Hey Kagome I'm gonna go into my jewel form, Kay? wouldn't wanna freak out your family or anything." She nods to me and I convert my body to soul and go back into the little shard. I was waiting for some magical time travely lights but They never came.

"No way I can't go in there now. What then?" She probably saw the bones. They don't call it Bone-eater for nothin'. Suddenly, I heard a slicing sound outside the shard. _What the hell was that? _"That looks like hair"

"Oh me oh my. You can see it then, my net of hairs I mean. Pity because seeings not enough. How do you do? I'm Yura of the hair. Though you needn't bother to remember. Because you'll be dead soon." I hear the sound of the whipping hair out side. _Kagome. _"I'll be having the jewel If you don't mind." She uses a strand of her to pull the little bag to her and dumps the shard into her hand. "Oh." She says, surprised. "You naughty naughty girl. You shattered the jewel. Where is the rest or I shall be cross."

"You give that back!"

"Answer the question. Where is the rest of it?"

"I'm- I'm not really sure."

"Ah, In that case I may as well finish you right now."

"Kagome No!" I reappear from the little bag that held the shard to shield Kagome from the demon's sword. Instead of hitting her, my neck is almost sliced the lightly dressed woman. When I tried to dodge, I accidentally pushed Kagome into the well.

"Jewel!"

"So you're the jewel, huh? Oh me, oh my. What nice hair you have."

"Shut up! I'm not in the mood for you games."

"Oh but, it is not a game." As she speaks I feel a stand of hair wrap around me neck.

"What a dirty trick."

"Well If you just turn back into your jewel form, You won't have a neck for me to choke, now will you."

"Fine." I sigh and return to the little bag.

"Now then I have another game to play else where." I could feel her swinging through the air. The next thing I hear is Inuyasha's annoying voice struggling against the hair himself. Then it's the demon woman, Yura, complaining about how her hair started giving slack. "He's stubborn but he sure is fun. And I simply must have this pretty silver hair of his. Especially now that I have the jewel girl, nothing is in my way"

_She didn't know how wrong she ACTUALLY was._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

"Well that was uneventful."

"Ahh. Don't say that Inuyasha. You got this nifty new sword. You even got a couple pieces of me back."

"Don't remind me." He mumbles.

I give him a death glare which sends him hiding behind Kagome. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Gosh can't you guys stop fighting for once in you lives."

"I'll stop when she stops."

"Hmph whatever." I hear my stomach and Inuyasha's gurgle in sync. "I'm starving. Let's stop for lunch."

"Alright." Kagome sets up a fire breathing metal contraption and puts a kettle full of water over it. She also set up a 'timer' thing that gave off a loud beeping sound when the water was boiled. She took the kettle off and poured the steaming water into three cups of instant noodles (I think that's what she called them). "3, 2, 1. And there you have it your noodles are ready."

"Let's dig in."

Inuyasha quickly grabbed his cup and began eating before I can even blink. "Mmm *SLURP* Not bad, not bad. *SLURP* I could *SLURP* see how this could *SLURP* catch on."

"Its the best thing to sliced bread."

"Come on, Kagome aren't you gonna dig in?"

"Speaking of digging, have you not noticed that we are surrounded by corpses here? No! I guess you were to busy..." So I just kinda ignored her after that. I wasn't really interested in listening to her yelling right now. I continued to slurp up my noodles until something made me almost choke.

"Man has traveled to the moon?" Questioned the flea.

"On a bi-cycle?"

"No in a rocket of course."

"And a rocket would be..."

"They're long and they're usually white and flames shoot out the bottom. Count down to launch. ZOOM! LIFT OFF!" *SLURP* "Trust you to be more impressed by noodles than my rocket story."

"I think she's lost it." I say leaning over to the half-demon.

"MmHmm."

The sky suddenly grew dark and there was a bluish spiral pattern forming. "Huh? What's going on? Why's it get so dark?"

"I dunno but something tells me it's trouble." He says throwing the empty noodle bowl to the ground.

"Lord Inuyasha, no littering." The flea guy, Myoga, said scoldingly.

"This is no time to talk trash."

"You down there. You possess shards of the sacred shikon jewel."

"Who's that"

"Is it a demon?"

"I believe its a fox." Myoga clarified

*Pop* The sky reverted back to its original color and this odd pink balloon thing appeared. "Hand over the jewel. The jewel or your life."

"Yeah. See About that. _The jewel_ isn't going anywhere" I say, emphasizing the 'the jewel' part.

I saw Inuyasha's eye twitch as he smacked the balloon to the ground. "Woah!" It yelled.

"It's a kid."

"Who dares to burst my bubble."

"Oh my gosh. HE'S SO CUUUTE~." I just couldn't help it. He had a little bow on his pony tail and a really fluffy regular tail. And his little cheeks! I scoop him up in my arms and hug him tightly.

"Wha-?" he shrieked.

"How could you hit him Inuyasha?"

"Unhand me woman."

Inuyasha grabs him from me by the tail "Hmm feisty little thing aren't ya? Nice tail. Looks like badger or a squirrel."

"I'm a fox demon!"

"A fox? It talks?" Kagome says. "Cool. Let me touch him when you're done."

"You mind? I'm tryin' to teach him a lesso- uh?" A little statue appears and drags Inuyasha body to the ground.

"Hey get outta my stuff!"

"Found it, The sacred jewel shard! Our time together has been short but sweet. Farewell." *Pop*

"Huh? He disappeared."

"That little punk just stole me!"

"Oh welcome back. ready to go get him. Huh?" We heard scurrying behind us a little skull with a bushy tail was hopping away. _Nothing suspicious there._

Of course Inuyasha had to punch him on the head for that causing a large bump on his head. Kagome reached in heard bag and pulled out some 'compressed herbs' and sprayed him with it. "Always pick on the little guy."

"So why so determined to get jewel from us?"

"For my father. I need it to avenge him."

Kagome sat there confused. "What do you mean avenge? You don't mean your father was killed do you?"

"That's what avenged means. Someone's dead so you kill their killer." I say.

"I get it he's not strong enough so he needs the jewel to take out his enemies."

"I'm strong enough to take down any enemy."

"Of course you are~. Huh?" I say pinching his cheeks.

We hear Kagome and Inuyasha fight over the jewel shard bottle and the little fox gets irritated. _So cute! _"I was talking here!"

_So long flash back short, we went to help the little fox boy, Shippo, in his quest to avenge his father. We went in search of the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten who had murdered the little fox's father. It might have been an easier job if Shippo would not have stolen the shards again. It also would have been easier if Kagome had not gotten herself kidnapped by Manten after shooting off his hair. It would have also ALSO been easier if Inuyasha and Shippo hadn't been arguing with the older brother, Hiten, about whether or not Kagome was his woman THE WHOLE TIME. But, whatever I'm not mad, I'm fine. I got five more pieces of me after it was over. I'm not still mad that it took time away from a nap I could've been having. I didn't brutally punish the boys when we got done. Nope that did not happen at all.__Though it was hilarious watching Inuyasha freak out thinking that Kagome and Shippo died, priceless._

__Oh and before I forget, a couple weeks ago, some old witch stole Kikyo's ashes. Inuyasha has been out of it for a while. Staring off into space and THINKING about THINGS. No matter how much he get's under my skin, I actually do care about the little puppy. The witch, Urasue, stole part of Kagome's soul. Kikyo tried to kill Inuyasha. She had no idea about what had actually happened. It wasn't Inuyasha. I don't know who it was but it wasn't him.__

"Inuyasha, why are you still alive? I bound you to a tree with a sacred arrow."

"Yeah ya sure did and I stayed there for fifty years. But, as you can see I'm alive and ready to take you on again."

"You vile beast. I despise you, you loathsome half-man." Kikyo glowed red for a split second and was now struggling and all covered with blood. She looked as she did when we burned. "Why did you betray me Inuyasha?"

"Whats going on? Where is all that blood coming from?"

"Look closer, Inuyasha. Is that not the fatal wound ye inflicted on Kikyo?"

"I inflicted? What are you saying? That I was one who killed Kikyo?"

"Yes. It was your wounds that sealed her fate and insured her demise"

"There must have been a mistake!"

"Inuyasha do you not remember when you told me you wished to be human?"

"Impossible. He wishes to become demon." Kaede corrected.

"You said you would become human. I believed your words that day I carried the shikon jewel and went to you. And you struck me down and stole the jewel. You betrayed me."

"Betrayed, huh?"

"ANd who are you?"

"It is I, Kikyo, the sacred Shikon no Tama that you burned with your body fifty years ago."

"That's impossible! I took you with me to the other world."

"And yet here I am. And here you are, trying to kill the man you almost wasted the wish on because you felt betrayed. Do you not think that I felt your betrayal. I was there. YOU killed ME,and I'm not out for revenge."

"That is enough!"

"Kikyo, listen. Either die or stay alive. I personally don't care either way but, don't take anyone else down with you."

"Enough!"

"Kikyo, I can not believe that Inuyasha committed such a heinous crime."

"Are you suggesting that I was the one who betrayed you?"

"You know its true. that is why I summoned up the last vestiges of my strength and bound you to the tree with my sacred arrow. Inuyasha."

"Kikyo."

"You and I were fated never to meet again..." She trails off. She approaches Inuyasha and gives him a good shocking before turning, perplexed, to Kaede.

"Stop this assault Kikyo"

"Who are you...?"

"I am your younger sister, Kaede. My appearance has altered because I've lived fifty years since your demise."

"Then explain why you would speak on Inuyasha's behalf." She pushes Kaede away not after stealing the bow and an arrow. "Give me this."

"Kaede! Kikyo what are you doing? This is your sister."

She simply ignores me as she shoots a sacred arrow at the half demon. "Kaede."

"You must stop this madness, sister. Inuyasha is not your enemy."

"Open you eyes you too have been taken in by this deceitful monster."

"You are mistaken."

"Hand me your arrows."

"I will do no such thing!"

"Kaede show loyalty to your own flesh and blood not some devious, lying, half breed. Now hear the demand of elder sister and give me those arrows."

"Sister!" Kikyo once again pushes the woman, this time stealing the quiver from her.

"Move. Inuyasha, you told me you wish to become human. You told me you wish to be with me."

"Wait, Kikyo! I meant every word!"

"Liar I was a fool for believing you. I despise you with my last breath so long as you live my spirit will not rest." She sets up her bow to shoot. Before she can release the arrow, I run to stand in front of Inuyasha.

"Kikyo. Don't do this!"

"Stand aside. Inuyasha will die!" Kikyo then lifts her bow and shoots a sacred arrow in our direction.

"Jewel, duck!" Takes out Tetsaiga to stop arrow but it just reverts back to it's rusty old sword form and Inuyasha is unable to fully block it.

"Run Inuyasha!" Kaede calls but of course he didn't listen and was hit by the arrow. As he screams in agony, the soul that was in Kikyo's body began leaving and re-enters Kagome.

"It's Kagome. She's trying to take back her soul!"

"No, not yet, this can not be. My revenge!"

"Kagome, you're alright."

I could tell that he also noticed Kikyo walking away and that he was planning to follow. There was no way around it. "Kikyo. You're still alive?"

"That which keeps Kikyo moving is no more than her deep hatred. It seems most of the soul has return to the young girl from wince it came." The now charred Urasue states"Looks like her hatred has been absorbed into her bones and the graveyard once pure maiden is not a monster feeding on its hatred of you."

At the witch's words, Inuyasha takes off after Kikyo. "Inuyasha!" Kaede yells after him.

"I'll go get him." I ran down the dirt road after the two. When I see them talking there I decide to just stay behind a large rock and be a fly on the wall. Though before any words were said, Kikyo and Inuyasha were sliding down to the cliffside. They are hanging on only by Inuyasha's strength.

"Kikyo! You can't go on like this any longer you must return."

"You are saying that you wish me to die, is that it? For if my soul were to return to that girl, I will cease to exist forever. You must know that that's what u desire Inuyasha. I refuse to die!" Kikyo then shocks Inuyasha once again. "My spirit can not rest in peace until I see you dead!"

"Don't do this" They begin to fall more. Inuyasha and Kikyo almost fall of of the cliff together And I hear a woman's scream "Kikyo!" He calls.

_Did she...fall?_

"Why Kikyo? Why did it have to come to this?"

"Inuyasha take my hand. Let's get outta here." _Kikyo. What happened to you? Did you really die this time?_


	4. Chapter 4

_**YO!**_

_I know it's been forever since I updated. Sorry about that by the way. Anyway I hope this chapter is clear and I hope you enjoy it. There should be another soon._

_Review if you would please._

_**Alright thats all. DQA out. Later.**_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Why is it that you complain every time you have to help a village? It's not even that bad." I asked the half-demon, Inuyasha.

"Because I'm tired of listenin' to a bunch of girls and some kid begging' me to help people. I'm only here to-"

"To become all demon. Right I remember you mentioning that a gazillion times plus you have Miroku right there." I say in a mocking sort of way.

It had been this way for quite some time. We would help a small village filled with demons and then Inuyasha would always get into a foul mood almost instantly. For a while now Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo and I have been traveling in search of my scattered pieces. You see I'm the sacred Shikon no Tama, the jewel of four souls. Among return to this world, the young reincarnation of the priestess, Kikyo, known as Kagome, shattered me with a sacred arrow meant for a demon crow. From then on the unlikely team of a half demon, a priestess and the jewel itself has been searching and battling many demons and of course we didn't do it with out gaining a couple of new members along the way.

"But, Miroku is just a lech." Inuyasha continued to complain.

"I will have you know that I am a highly respected monk-"

"Who is constantly groping women's butts and asking them to bear you a son. Face it Miku you are not as pure as you say you are."

"It's not me!" he exclaim dramatically. "It's this cursed hand. No matter how much I try to fight it, it just won't stop." as he speaks, I feel his had snake its way under my armor. In response I swiftly flip him over and grab his little pony tail to whisper into ear so that only he and I (and Inuyasha) could hear.

"What did she say, Inuyasha?" The curious young Shippo asked.

"Oh uh nothing." He, of course, was lying through his teeth but, I don't mind. Someone as ADORABLE as the fox boy shouldn't be exposed to such language.

Just then Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. "What's the matter, Inuyasha" Kagome asked.

"I smell the scent fresh blood." We followed after Inuyasha only to meet with a whole village that had been slaughtered. There were bodies sprawled out along everything. Rooves, fields, you name it.

A two tailed cat appeared from the rubble. It was growling at us as it scale forward slowly. It looked between all of us then said "Ah, Master Inuyasha. It nice to see you." and stopped it it's tracks. "Its alright, Kirara, they're fine."

"Huh-? It talks-?" Kagome questioned. But as she spoke a little speck launched itself onto Inuyasha's nose and was greeted with a smack.

"Oh it's just you, Myoga."

"Nice to see you too, master."

We began burrying the dead villagers immediately. Well actually Kagome, Shippo and I picked flowers as the "men" dug the graves. "This is devastating." Kagome sighed. "Who could have done something like this?"

"Huh? Oh, well who cares they're already dead so there is no reason to think about it. Plus people die all the time. There's no sense in worrying." I simply didn't care for the subject of death as it didn't interest me in the least. As far as I'm concerned, the weak should perish. If these people couldn't protect themselves, they deserved this fate.

We go to get more flowers as Miroku and Inuyasha went for more boards and stone. We walked passed a cave covered with a barrier that shoots impure people away. We learned this by watching it make an example out of Inuyasha who was too busy being selfish to listen Myoga.

"This is where mother- I mean Midoriko severed me from her chest. She has a hole there now and fights in me along with the demons she fought that day. I suppose that at one point you wondered why I have two different ears. That's because of the fight. As I grew I gained traits from both though I have yet to unlock them all." I softly sheepishly smiled into the cave.

Kagome watched me intently. Probably noticing how I felt, she said, "Why don't we rest for the night and finish in the morning."

"I agree with Kagome. It's probably for the best."

That night I dreamt a dream. A dream of consistencies. A dream where nothing ever changed. Everyone woke up at the same time everyday, did their jobs, then went home and did it all again the next day. In this dream...I never came to be. There was never war in this world. There was never fighting so everyone got along fine. There was no Shikon Jewel.

Shippo's parents are alive.

Miroku never lost his master or gained his wind tunnel.

Inuyasha was never sealed.

Kikyo didn't die.

Kagome ...never came to this era.

But then, Nothing would have happened. We wouldn't move forward. Would they have even been born? I saw there faces in my mind constantly. Then there was a bright white light that was purely blinding. It was calling me. "Jewel, Jewel" it called. I began to approach this light but it was quickly replaced by the night sky. I look around and I see that everyone is asleep. Good.

I stand and begin to leave the camp for a walk when I heard a soft voice behind me. "Where ya goin'?" he said.

"Walk."

"Where?"

"Damn it Inuyasha stop being so damn nosey and go back to sleep."

He quickly got up from his seat and gets into my face. "I'm just tryna help you!" he yelled. The fire flicked in the night wind. The cinders, burning the air they danced on. The moon was full tonight and it's glow shone bright with beauty.

"Less helpy, more sleepy." I mock. "'besides, you can't help me no matter what you say or do."

"Whatever." he sits back down and sighs in defeat.

"I'll see you in the morning then, Inuyasha."

"Whatever." Inuyasha simply settled back into his usually position. He didn't say anything else about this when I saw him next. He just didn't pry and I mentally thank him for that.

After that exchange, I walk over to Midoriko's cave from earlier. I didn't have to worry about being pushed away for it was once my home. "Why have I returned, Mother?" Of course she didn't answer, she was but a statue. The whole in her chest was larger than I remember it to be. I studied the remains here. How the demons from so long ago appeared to still be fighting even though they were merely bones. Just then a slight rumble shook this small cave around. The demon spirits and Midoriko herself shone as ghost and fought as they did then and now inside of me. "Why are you showing me this, Mother?" There was no answer. She simply looked at me and mouthed words I couldn't read.

The shadow of the demons and the light of Midoriko then merged for a split second and shot into my heart. I could hear the screams and shrieks. The clashing of sword upon iron skin that could make any dog whine. And that was all before I collapsed.

_I wonder what Mother was trying to tell me..._

The next morning, the cave was back to normal though, I was not. I could still hear those cries. I could hear the...blades clashing? _Wait those aren't in my mind._

"Stop it! You've been tricked!" I clearly heard Kagome's voice outside.

"You killed them, Inuyasha! My village was slaughtered by and now I will take revenge for them." Another voice that I had not then recognized had sounded. I ran from the cave and put to where the others were when I saw a woman who looked half dead struggled to say words.

I would like to say that there was more to it however, I couldn't tell. The last thing I remember was the feeling of faintness. My muscles felt heavy and i had a throbbing headache. Not to mention the intense pain I felt in my back that felt as though I were being stabbed by the world's sharpest blade and wielder continuously pushed it deeper and deeper into my skin. I just took my place within Kagome's shards to rest.

After that, we gained a new member to our little band of misfits. The demon slayer known as Sango traveled with us in search of the one known as Naraku, the demon who had tricked her.

* * *

I had recovered from my pains a week later. Kagome says I should rest some more but I honestly feel a little better than I had before.

We were once again traveling to another village (just like every other day), when we noticed a pack of wolves rummaging through the the houses of villagers who had been living there before the attack.

"Wolves?! Why are they here?" I ask, confusedly.

"Looks like the filthy vermin decided to make a snack outta this village." Inuyasha concluded. The wolves turn around when they see us. They immediately attack without a second thought. "Iron Reaver!"

"Hiraikotsu!" Inuyasha and Sango fend off the wolves who then begin howling for god only knows what reason.

"Are they calling in their comrades?" Miroku asked.

"Huh?" Kagome exclaimed. "I sense the presence of one of Jewel's fragments coming closer! At an amazing speed!"

_FWOOSH!_ With her words, a young man appears out of nowhere. He looked around the area for a brief second and then he stared directly at us with his harsh blue eyes. I think he said his name was Koga. "Did you kill my underlings?"

"So you're the boss of those man-eating wolves?" accused Inuyasha.

"What of it? You killed my wolves. I won't forgive you bastards!"

"Shut up! You reek of human blood."

"They were just eatin dinner-you got a problem with that mutt face?"

"What'd you say?"

"I believe he called you a mutt." said that smart-ass, Miroku.

"Oh I like this guy." I say in an approving manner.

"Who side are you on anyway, Jewel?!"

"I don't have to answer that."

"I can't stand the smell of you. It gives me a headache." the wolf guy said.

"Oh I reeeaaallly like this guy."

"JEWEL!"

"Gosh dog man, I was just joking around."

"Whatever." he turns back to the man.

That man and Inuyasha then began fighting. That is when I noticed something about the man. "He has three of Jewel's shards. There is one in his right arm and both of his legs!" Kagome took the words right out of my mouth.

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Inuyasha took his stance. Any one of us could tell that he was planning to invoke the Wind Scar and use it against Koga. Even Koga himself.

"This is too dangerous we have to retreat!" He had yelled before a strong wind appeared and declared he was gone.

"He...ran?" asked Sango.

"No. He sensed Inuyasha's wind scar. I only for a brief second saw him flinch when he felt the presence. And from what I've seen, he's probably an instincts guy."

"Indeed, Jewel is correct. Koga is not an opponent we can beat with strength alone. We will actually have to stop and think about this." Miroku added. "Either way we cannot allow someone who commands man-eating wolves to possess even a shard."

"OF COURSE NOT! Who does that guy think he is? Calling me a mutt. I'll show him!" Later that day we actually ended up searching for him because of Inuyasha's stupid pride (and of course my shards). Inuyasha was sniffing around on all fours which made him look more like the mutt he already was, proving Koga's point more. Eventually, Inuyasha had caught onto a scent that he recognized as wolf and we ran around the mountain, following the scent that Inuyasha had found. Kagome and Shippo rode on Inuyasha's back, Sango and Miroku on Kirara, and I ran on my own as I had the speed of a demon.

"Do you sense a strange presence around here?" Miroku asked. "It's not like the wolves, it's something else." Just as Miroku talked, I, along with Inuyasha spotted a small amount wolves ahead.

"There they are!" Inuyasha yelled, picking up his pace. "You're not getting away." He chased them down the path only to be ambushed by another group waiting on the mountain side. I hurried and snatched Kagome and Shippo from Inuyasha's back. They seem to be targeting him most and there isn't a reason to take those two with him.

Out of no where, a bunch more of the wolves attack us, pushing Inuyasha off of the cliff and leaving the rest of us confused. A cyclone of wind appears and takes Kagome from next to me "Kagome!" The monk calls.

"I'll protect her don't worry." I go into the shards of the wolf demon as Kagome's shards were in the bag we left with the others. I couldn't hear what was going on. Only muffled screams and wind whipping around the demon. There might've been a squawk or something from a bird but, the wind was too loud to make it out.

Before I knew it we were at the hideout and wolves we're trying to eat Kagome. "it's Koga!" I heard. "He's back!"

"And he brought a girl."

"Let us eat her, too, Koga."

"This girl ain't food. Anyone who tries to eat her will die." His voice was harsh and I could only imagine that his face was too." The wolves whimpered and some unnaturally loud sniffing noises were heard."Oh, him? he must have clung to my tail when I grabbed the girl. You lot can eat this."

"Stop it! You want me to help don't you? Then don't eat him!"

"Fine." Koga led her to another place apart from the other wolf demons and began to tell her about something they had saw earlier. Something called the Birds of Paradise. I stayed comfortably within Koga's shards as I listened to him speak. "They are our natural enemies. On top of that, their boss has shikon jewel shards and has eaten many of our comrades."

"I see."

"We'll attack the nest and you'll tell me where their boss is so I can nab the shards."

"Alright I'll do it." I could hear Koga beginning to walk away and before he could notice, I left his shards. "Jewel?!"

"Shhhh... Keep it down. Do you want the whole den to hear you?"

"Right, why are you here?"

"Well damn, a person comes to save your life and all you can do is ask why?" I laugh. "Come on. You ready, Shippo?"

He nods to me and does a transformation. This transformation took a while for Shippo to get it right but I just covered Kagome's eyes until I was ABSOLUTELY positive that Shippo had it perfect. "Get up." He says calmly. "Come on Kagome don't make it look suspicious." You see Shippo and I had this bright idea for him to use his fox magic to transform into the young leader. It was pretty much our go to plan for a lot of things though, we never quite got the opportunity to use it up until now. But thats mostly because we just came up with it now. Shhh...don't tell Kagome.

Kagome stood up to follow the tricky fox out of the den. As they walked a way I noticed Shippo's tail was still showing._ Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! It must have changed back after I checked it._ "Shippo!" I whisper. "Shippo!" But, he couldn't hear me.

"The woman needs some fresh air."

"Ginta, Hakaku. Go with Koga."

"What're you talkin' about? Ginta and Hakaku left to hunt with Koga an hour ago." _Shit. They're gonna die._ Out of nowhere Shippo screamed and transformed back to his true form. "It's a trick."

Kagome quickly ran from the den, dragging Shippo along. I stumble to my feet to run after her, recieving a lot of confused looks as I did. "You can fly right?" I heard Kagome ask. Shippo gave her a nod and like a crazy person, she throw him from the cliff. "Go find Inuyasha!"

"Oh, You've done it now." I push through the men and stand protectively in front of Kagome.

"No I think you've done it. Sakimitama (love), I summon thee to lend me thy heart and share thy prosperous love!" I called. A bow manifested in my hand and I took stance to shoot. "Now, I hope you're ready to die." My voice became dark, almost demonic. I felt my teeth grow sharper and my demon side, stronger.

**Yes, let your darkness rise. It will please** **me.** It was a man's voice. I couldn't see him though but, it came from inside of me. I couldn't fight back though I could hear his voice echo throughout my being. He just took over my body and thats it.

"You bitch!" One of the wolf underlings bared his fangs at me and began his charge only to have a large wild boar land onto his head.

"I thought I told you not to eat them!"

"Koga?"

"Oh great now I have someone else to play with." My voice grew more demented. "Nigimitama (friendship), I summon thee to lend me thy hand and raise it in ever lasting friendship" Twin swords appear in either of my hands and the bow dissipates with only a pinkish magic left in its wake.

"Jewel don't fight him. I-"

**Fight. Don't listen to her. Trust me I know whats best for you.**

"Let's go wolf boy. Or do you intend to run away with your tail between your legs once again?" He didn't respond. He just looked at me with cold blue eyes that almost seem to be daring me to try something. And I was planning to.

**Fight.**

I began to charge to him. "Jewel! Stop it!" Kagome said as she placed her hand on my shoulder, shaking me from the darkness that spawned in me. Her touch felt...cleansing? Nearly purifying. I could feel my darkness wash away along with Nigimitama. My being was sucked up into Koga's shards. Back into my dark little room.

"You said your name was Kagome, right?" He just brushed it off and clasped her hands in his. "Well Kagome, you're my woman." his voice was now softer than previously when it was harsh and cold.

"But, Koga. I thought you wanted to eat her when you were through with her not marry her." one of the wolf men said.

"She can see the sacred jewel shards that means she's _perfect_ for me." _Perfect? See the sacred jewel shards?_ This made me very enraged. _I have half a mind to- UGHH! How could-? Perfect?!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Days passed since that's day when I lost control. Not only that but, that word constantly repeated itself in my mind. Perfect. Why is that so important to these idiots? This notion of perfection. The Birds of Paradise had been defeated and the shards from it and the beaten down wolf had been claimed by Inuyasha and returned to the slot in my belt. And of course after all of that, Kagome and Inuyasha still managed to fight about everything once we were done. And Kagome left... again...and came back. Despite of all the constant fighting, I am grateful. I was a little bit closer to being whole and I couldn't help but be happy.

Though I was happy, I once again found my self walking around in the dark of the night alone. "Jewel." I heard some one say. "Are you alright?" It was Ms. Perfect herself.

"Huh-? Oh yeah I'm- uh I'm fine."

"You didn't seem fine. The way you...um acted today with the wolves. I was worried about you. Y-your eyes were..." She trailed off. She obviously didn't have a word to describe my behavior.

"Say it. Demonic." I almost spat the word out. "I can't help that. When _HE_ takes over theres nothing I can do. He too strong."

A puzzled look crept onto her features "He?'

"Yes **_He_**. **_He_** is my demon. **_He_** keeps me down. **_He_**...takes me over."

"Jewel..."

"No! Stop feeling sorry for me. I don't want- I don't _need _your pity." I could feel warm streams of water rush down my cheeks as I sent her away. Kagome looked at me with shocked eyes. She reached out to touch my arm and I swat her hand away in a panic, shaking my head in rejection as I take of running in the opposite direction of the camp.

"Jewel! Wait!" She called but I was too far ahead to even she her silhouette anymore.

I ran for what felt like all night and only when the sun rose the next day, had I known it to be true. I knew that I would eventually have to go back, even Kaede said that they would be my only hope at restoration so I had no choice. so it had been decided, I'd go back...eventually.

As I ran, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. What would have happened if she'd touched me just now? What would she have thought?

* * *

It was night again and my stalling continued on and on and on. I had just been wandering the forest for the day. I fought a few power hungry monsters, ate some rice balls. _Guess its time to finally head back._ I travel back has fast as I could while following the group's scent. Over the horizon, I could see the silhouettes of my friends They were at a mansion and at this mansion, the air felt so dense that I thought I would suffocate just stepping into the walls.

There was also a lingering smell of blood. Inuyasha's blood. I picked up speed only to find them in the middle of a battle with Koga and a woman.

"Jewel!" Kagome called.

"Jewel. Where've you been?" Sango added. "We were worried."

"Don't worry. I'm back now. Nevermind where I've been, though." I pant out. "Whats going on here?"

"We were tracking down a demon bear that had been attacking a nearby village. We follow some Saimiyosho to Naraku's castle when we saw all of these corpses of the wolf demons lying around. Koga was right behind us and he thinks that Inuyaha is the cause of his dead friends." Sango quickly filled me in on what had been happening in my absence. I couldn't help but to feel uneasy, however.

I look over to Koga. He's wounded pretty bad. My eyes are immediately drawn to his arm however. It was purple and there was some sort of fake shard embedded within his arm. He was panting and covered in cuts from head to toe. This fight must have been going for a while.

Inuyasha was struggling to stand, using his Tetsaiga to prop himself up as he called the Wind sorceress on her slanderous ways.

Another thing I noticed was the woman with the fan. She had a smirk that played across her red lips deviously. Her eyes held conflicting emotions that said evil but most likely meant something different.

The fight seemed to be on its last leg as the woman who was called Kagura, once again unleashed her dance of the dead. At this point I could tell that Inuyasha had just about enough of this wind sorceress' game and was planning to use his wind scar.

"I am the wind sorceress. The wind in this castle is entirely under my control."

"If thats true then my wind is under her control, too." Just then, as if out of nowhere a sacred arrow is shot onto the battle field.I look up to Kagome, Shippo and Kirara, who are all on a roof up above, and give them a thumbs up.

"Unfortunately her aim is pathetic."

"Thats the sacred arrow. Kagura's demon wind is being driven off. Excellent. There is a way to create the wind scar then." In that instant, Inuyasha got an idea. It was apparent on his face. "Kagome, shoot me with you arrow!" he called. "Ask questions later! Just shoot!"

"What are you thinking?! You might think you're invincible but, if my arrow hits you, you could die. I guess I'll just have to trust in his judgement."

And with that, another arrow was shot, this time canceling out Kagura's wind. "Fool, I only have to create more wind!" And she did so which only served to to help Inuyasha form his wind scar. With a slash of his sword, Inuyasha released his wind scar earning a gasp from Kagura before a giant feather blew into the sky where the wind sorceress sat upon it. As she retreated, the mark of the spider became visible on her back.

As Kagura disappeared, Naraku's castle soon followed suit.

"Nice job, Lap Dog." I say cheerfully as I give him a pat on the back. Not to hard, wouldn't want to shatter his bones or anything.

"Nice job? I let her get away."

As we talk I hear foot step approaching. "Well then nice job not kickin' the bucket." He let his golden eyes meet mine. Boy he looks pitiful. I flash a large toothy grin at him before looking in the direction where the footstep were coming from.

"Inuyasha! are you hurt?" _Wait...Miroku?_

"Where's the sorceress gone?" _Sango? When did they-? I could have sworn that they were standing right next to me when I first arrived._ My confusion is ignored by the three as they continue their conversation on Kagura's whereabouts.

"Koga are you alright?" My head instantly snaps in the direction of the wolf as I see Kagome and Shippo running towards him. I too, was curious to see how the wolf was holding up. When I walked over, I saw that his arm was now nearly completely covered in purple poison.

"The barrier is too strong! It deflected your hand!" Shippo panicked

Koga struggled to get his words out "Let me be Kagome. I t-tried to murder Inuyasha."

"It wasn't yout fault. Naraku tricked you. Inuyasha had no desire to settle things this way."

"Looks like we were both deceived by Naraku." Inuyasha approaches us slowly. He had a kind of serves-you-right look on his face as he watched the wounded wolf. "If you can manage to hold on to life a while, there is a way for you to live."

"Inuyasha you're not cutting off his arm." I say calmly, hands in my pockets. At this point, it's as if I could read his mind.

"In order to save his life, I will cut it and the counterfeit jewel off." Inuyasha raises Tetsaiga high.

"Wait you can't just hack the guy's arm off. there has to be a better way." Kagome was sweating buckets at this point. she pleaded with the half demon to stop.

"Hey what about a sacred arrow, we can't touch it but, an arrow could break the barrier."

"Good idea, Shippo!" Kagome quickly reached into her quiver and pulled out one of her arrows. She hesitated but, thrust the arrow into Koga's poisoned arm, clearing it away. Koga cringed as the arrow pierced his purple skin. The arrow began to glow pink as the light purified the poison. The false jewel fragment shattered in thin air as it came from his skin.

We let him lay there and recover. I couldn't help but to look back once in awhile to see if he would get up.

* * *

I appeared before him that night. How'd I get there? The passage way. I sent my soul to his from Kagome's shikon jewel shards. I wanted to look on to his face, to see if he was alright. As I watched him, his sleeping form gently breathing, I once again notice his arm. It was still oddly colored like earlier, though it wasn't as bad as it was.

I take a deep breath and lay my hand onto where the poison had been, instantly purifying any remnants with my touch. He shivered and as he did, his eyes flew open. "What the?! Why are you here? How-?"

I hold my hand to his face, interrupting his confusion. "I came to heal you and now that I'm done, I'm leaving." I turned to leave when I felt him grab onto my wrist.

"Wait" he protested.

"Why should I? I've done what I came to do now I must go."

"Your name's Jewel right?"

"What of it?"

He lets go of my wrists and leans himself back against the den's wall. "I thought that Kagome fully purified the poison in my arm with that arrow."

"Kagome's a newbie. She did good but, I could still sense a lingering risk."

"Does that mean you're a priestess or somethin?"

"Or something." I stood there staring at him in an awkward silence that seemed to last eons.

"Thanks for healin me." he finally spoke. The air feels so dense in this cave.

"You're welcome. Now...am I allowed to leave or are you gonna hold me hostage with your endless questions?"

"You didn't have to answer em!"

"Wouldn't want to be rude. Considering that you're beaten down, broken, and just as flea ridden as that lap dog, I wouldn't wanna make your day worse." I smirk at my own comment. Not like I'm wrong.

"Why you. You tryna provoke me?"

"What'll you do? You're nearly too weak to stand let alone fight me. Will you retreat again like you did that day?"

"Why would I be afraid of a little girl? Go home."

"I've been trying to go home!" I shout. I have to remain calm or..."No matter, though. This little girl will send you running with your tail between your legs. You name the time and the place."

His smirk was pained as he accepted my (unintentional) challenge. "It's a date then."

* * *

_Why is my chest beating like this?_

_What's happening to me?_

_I've never felt this before._

I've been on edge all day. Last night with Koga... I guess...I guess I was trying to provoke him a little but I never thought it would result in something like this.

_My body feels warm. _

It's summer time. Might just be the summer heat.

_Am I sweating?_

Its pretty hot out here.

_I think I'm sick. _

May be some bad rice? Maybe...?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_I won't go. I don't have to prove my self to a mangy wolf. He can think as he wants about me. I. Don't. Care. Just know that I'm not a scared little girl and I-_

_Tap. Tap. Tap._ Just then I felt a tap on the shards. It was like a knock at a door for me. "Jewel! Jewel! come out we need your help!" Kagome shouted!

"What? What is it?" I manifested in a flash only to be smacked in the face by a heavy miasma that nearly knocked the wind out of me. "Woah! In a miasma? Really?"

"Sorry. We aren't resistant to the miasma but Inuysha and Miroku went in." Sango spoke through her mask though it didn't seem to be helping at all.

"Will you follow them?" Kagome asked. "Please?" Sango started to hack and wheeze ferociously.

"Sango. Let me take you back to the base first."

"No just go."

"Ok but I'll at least leave you with this." I rip a piece of cloth from one of the legs of my pants and hand it to her. The rip then regenerates itself once again. "It'll weaken the poison around you."

"Thanks."

With a nod, I run up after the boys. The miasma is starting to get thicker than before. My power isn't great enough to purify this much poison at once. When I get to the mountain entrance, I can hear voices that sound like Inuyasha and Miroku.

"We really must be close by now." Inuyasha says. "Come on, suck it up! You said you could handle it. What's wrong?" That was definitely them. Inuyasha was complaining at the human Miroku who was kneeling on the ground in attempt to catch his lost breath. Not everyone has lungs of steel.

When I caught sight of them, I ran to Miroku's side to help him from the ground. "Miroku! Are you alright?" I ask him worriedly.

"Huh-Jewel?" he looked up at me surprised. "Don't worry about me. I can and I will endure." _Good old Miku. Always acting so tough._

"Let's go" We travel farther in the cave, Inuyasha carrying Miroku and myself running along side them. There was a cliff at the end of a tunnel with an open cavity over head. Inuyasha looked worried and Miroku seemed to be struggling. I hadn't realized either that the cavity was directly over head to what looked like a pool demon remains.

"What the-?"

"That's revolting!" I gasp for air. the smell of the rotting demon flesh was simply grotesque. It messed with my senses. I couldn't see anything and everything I could smell, resembled death and decay.

The ground started to shake. "Damn what the hell is this?" The demon pool below started rippling and shaking. the to life? The ground shook more until I felt myself slipping from the cliff, hanging with only my left arm.

"Inuyasha! Miroku!" I call out to them.

Miroku uses his staff to assist me. "Jewel! Hang on!" I grab on tightly but, still find myself slipping. Miroku seems to have noticed and latches on to my wrist. I look down. I can see the beasts forming from the flesh and bones, creating deadly shrieks for my eardrums. I slip down further barely hanging by my fingertips now. "Inuyasha, help me pull her up!"

"I-I can't." I glanced over at the half demon. I remember now. A moment just like this but with Kikyo. His golden eyes were filled with trauma and I couldn't help but look away.

"Miroku. Let me go." I stated simply.

It took awhile for my words to register for him. "What!? Are you crazy? I'm not going to let go!"

"MIROKU!" I command him this time. "Let me go."

"No Jewel."

_Damn him. So stubborn._ "This is no time for your stubbornness. Either let me go or die with me. Your choice."

"Neither of those are good options."

"Damn it, Miroku!" With my other hand I abruptly detach his hand from my wrist and let go of the staff.

"No! Jewel!" Was the last thing I heard before the abyss swallowed me whole.

* * *

I can feel it. It-it burns. I awoke in a dark room. Not like a dungeon, maybe a bedroom? There was a bed and doors but nothing else. As I begin to regain my composure, I feel shackles on my ankles and arms, Restricting me so that I couldn't leave the room. "Where am I?"

"Ah I see. The jewel doesn't work without its soul." The voice sounded familiar as it inquired on how to understand me. It was a male voice. A low voice with a tone full of villainous intent. The voice belonged to a silhouetted figure who seemed to be studying something. "And that soul is you, correct?" I refused to answer him."What happens when I do this?" And then his words registered.

With his words, he proceeds with a simply thump onto the surface of the jewel. "Gah-!" I feel the impact in my lower side. It felt like a kick to the gut. "Stop please!"

"This?" He squeezes the jewel with all the strength of that arm. It felt like he was attempting to strangle me yet not at the same time.

I scratch at my throat, gasping for air. "I'm- I'm beg-ging you!"

"Or? Yes!" A miasma rolled out of the sleeves of his clothes. "This will do perfectly."

"Gahh!" I found myself struggling to breathe even more than before. My chest was on fire and my lungs felt clogged. This is the strongest miasma I have ever witnessed. "Ahhh! Staaaaahp!"

"Now. Taint, Shikon no Tama!" I could feel him. My demon taking over my body. The darkness burned into me relentlessly as I struggle to fight it off. "Taint!"

"NO- GAHH!" Snap! My bones were breaking. Snap! Snap! And my body, arching and twisting until everything went black. When I awoke I couldn't remember anything. I found myself lying on the same mat with cold eyes staring upon my figure. I sat up and watched as long black hair began shadowing my face. Something about this situation wasn't right. I felt extremely nauseous.

"Did you have a nice nap.?" The owner of the eyes spoke. "Black is such a nice color for you."

_**"Shut up ingrat-"**_ I paused mid-sentence. I recognized this two toned voice. _**"My voice-!?"**_

"It's wonderful isn't it?"

**_"Anything but."_** With a sigh, I stand, noticing that my clothes were replaced with some sort of kunoichi gard that left very little to the imagination seeing as it was very short and revealing. I also wore a set of detached black kimono sleeves that were tied down with buckles on both of my arms, revealing my st. Differing from usual, they had red and white roses at the end of them instead of white with pink and magenta spirals. My hair was now mid thigh length and black as aposed to my normal chin-length lilac. _**"I'm leaving. Do not follow me and you will be spared."**_

"Oh but my dear, Jewel, you just got here. Why leave so suddenly?" I eventually recognized the voice as Naraku, the demon who deceived my friends. He was sitting by the sliding door dressed as a white baboon with a blue face.

**_"Quit your games Naraku! I wish not to be bothered by the likes of you!"_** As if on reflex, my arm shoots up toward Naraku's neck and I find myself squeezing tightly. Tighter. And tighter until with a poof, the white baboon disappears with a wooden doll taking his place. _**"Damn. It was just a puppet."**_

"I will not be disposed of so easily."

_**"Nor will I." **_I summon one of my four souls, Aramitama (courage), my dagger and aim it at his head. The only reaction was a small dodging motion and a smirking chuckle. Once contact with the wall behind is made, the dagger disappears. **"Though I know you'll try."**

"I see. So you remember my little trap."

**_"It would be rather stupid were I to say no. Now where are Inuyasha and Miroku?"_** I demanded. My now red eyes pierced into his own which were baring into my very soul. I summon one of the twin swords of my Nigimitama (friendship) and place it on his neck, threateningly. _**"Tell. Me. Now.**_"

"You will watch your tone with me, wench."

**"I'd rather you watch it for me."** I lean in close to him, blowing cool breath on some of his neck left exposed my his baboon costume. My blade still exposed throughout, I lean as close as I can to him. **"What do you say, Naraku?"**

"Tempting as that may be, We have matters to discuss."

**"Fine then let us discuss."** I seated myself cross legged on the floor, awaiting his expectance. **"Come now. I have a question for you anyway."**

He reluctantly joined me there and spoke. "And what might that be?"

**"What is it that you want with me? I am aware that I am the Shikon no Tama however why do you want me currently?"**

"I simply want your assistance. That is all."

**"With what might I ask?"**

"First. You have to let go."

**"Let go?" **I had no idea what he meant. I was already tainted so that already cancels out any nice thing I could do. Not that I'd be doing nice things anyway. I don't have any family so I have no earthly ties. I don't have any possessions either.

"Of your bonds. They will get in the way of my plans. I need you to be full of evil down to your core." _I honestly thought it would be harder. _I closed my eyes and nod. Among opening my eyes, I could see a dark glow shining through onto Naraku. I close them once again and they return to normal. "Good." Is all he responds with.

**"Now, how did you get Kagome's shards?"**

"So you've figured that out."

**"Of course. I can sense the shards myself and at the moment I can only feel Koga's and the ones in this room." **

"It was Kikyo. She...commandeered them for me."

**"Ah, so Kikyo is alive then? Some people just do not know when to die." **I muttered that last part broodingly beneath my breath.

"Yes, however that is beside the point." He obviously heard my complaining. "I need you to find someone for me."

**"While I do love a good scavenger hunt, am I not aloud a break?"**

"Are you forgetting that you are now under my control?" He pulls the jewel back out and flashes it's pieces at me. Without another word he thumps the jewel. I can remember the pain from earlier but it does not affect me now."

**"I am stronger than her. That goody two shoes, Jewel, was just the _'Midoriko'_ part of our power. I am the demon. Do not test my limits for you will be disappointed with the results."** I walk over to him, standing from my seat. I bend over so that he can see the intent in my eyes.** "Do not get confused. I do what I wish, to whom I wish, with whom I wish, whenever I wish it to be done."**

"I see-"

**"However I will find this person for you. But, do not act like you're my boss."**

* * *

The night passed and I was now on a mission. Naraku wanted me to find some sixty year old priestess named Tsubaki. He didn't even give me a direction he just handed me an old ripped cloth and said to smell it like I was some type of dog. I, rather we, ended up in the mountains as Naraku sent Kagura along with me.

**"There she is." **I say to Kagura. We had been searching for this dark priestess woman that Naraku spoke of for at least have of the day. We were in each others throats. Kagura and I could barely go a minute with arguing about something trivial.

"She doesn't quite look sixty. Are you sure its her." Even now when we had a job, she wanted to argue about my sense of smell.

**"Her scent is there." **We approach the woman. She had long silver hair and a very youthful appearance despite apparently being how old she actually was. She had a white snake draped over her shoulders tat was most likely the demon puppet, Shikigami.

"What is it that you want?" She spoke with venom in her voice.

**"Your assistance, is all."**

"And why should I help you?"

**"Because I have this." **I reach into the fabric of my clothing and pull out the newly tainted jewel.

"The Shikon no Tama-!"

**"Yes and if you assist us I promise you that you won't be disappointed by the rewards."**

"Rewards? Such as?"

**"Do you remember a priestess my the name of Kikyo?" **Her brow at the the mention of the priestess.

**"By your expression, I would say that you are now interested and I-" **Mid sentence, I sense a jewel shard. Correction. Two jewel shards. _What does he want?_ **"Go on ahead." **I command the wind sorceress. Abruptly, I send her away.

"Are you sure?" She asks me.

**"Go! Kagura!" **She pulls a feather from her hair and flies back to Naraku with the dark priestess. Just as the two leave, a whirlwind appears before me. When the dust clears, a man is revealed. He has sharp blue eyes and a long, dark hair. Through the sharpness of his eyes, I can see both shock and relief.

"Jewel." He breathes out my name in

**"Wolf."**

"You never showed up."

In the most nonchalant voice I have, I say **"Busy." **

"What's wrong with you? Why do you look like that?" He asked confused. He awaited my answer but, I stared at him with a deadpanned expression. He snatches up my arm forcibly. "Jewel! Jewel!"

**"Release me, Wolf!"**

"Not until I know what's up."

In a swift motion, I release myself from his grip. **"Sakimitama!"** I summon my bow and aim it at the him. I wasn't bluffing. I had a straight expression with and unwavering gaze. **"Get out of here before I kill you. I'm sure Naraku would love your skin on his mantle."**

"Jewel-"

**"Go, Wolf."**

"I won't."

**"Your choice."** I release the arrow and as I do a pink light glows from the point. The light is nearly blinding and Koga disappears from my sight. _This light is so warm._ The warm is all I feel and I can feel it cleansing my darkness and my breath is taken away. A pair of arms wrap around my waist as I feel myself falling to the ground. _I'm so warm._

"Jewel!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys!**

I know how let this is but I swear it wasn't on purpose.

My magical typing iPod, Sebastian, seems to have bitten the dust and I needed to replace him. On top of that I had finals and such. Yea... Life is hard.

So new iPod. His name is Law and I bet he'd love a hello from you beautiful people.

Enough rambling. Not the best chapter but... Yeah.

**DQA**** out. ****Byesies**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

I sat in my dark room, head throbbing in pain. What happened? I couldn't remember though, I felt slight pains in my wrists and back. It was like the bones had been fixed and broken repeatedly. And what ever happened to Inuyasha and Miroku. I hadn't seen them since.

I come out of the shards, hoping to see a friendly face when I'm "graced" with that of the young leader of the wolf demon tribe. "Koga?" I asked, confused. I definitely wasn't expecting to see the wolf boy here. Wherever "here" might be.

"Oh. Hey." The blue-eyed wolf says, looking down at me calmly. The sun illuminated his dark locks as his head rested on a lazy hand. He was definitely mesmerizing in a way that was not willing to admit outside of my own mind. The way his long black hair was lifted into a perfect ponytail, his bangs parted by the fur of his headband. It was then that I noticed the layer of fur that I was sitting on. The layer of fur...that was attached to a person...that just happened to be Koga... My face reddened with embarassment as I realized the situation.

"Oh hey? What the hell?" I fumed. "Get off of me!" Standing up from his lap, I straightened out my clothing. I noticed my armor missing, leaving me in my white kimono, and I wasn't yet sure why.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You do know you were on me right?"

"S-Shut up dog!"

Now that set him off. If anything pissed him off, it was definitely being compared to Inuyasha. "Dog? I'm nothin' like that mutt, Inutrasha!"

"You sure do smell like him and...oh! Is that a flea I see there?" I get really close, pretending to inspect his hair just to tick him off. He quickly gripped on to my exposed wrist and pulled me in, my face mere inches from his. Koga had a dangerously serious look on his face.

"I DON'T HAVE ANY FLEAS!" he hollered. I'm sure that I heard a vein popping somewhere on his forehead, actually. He pushed me away in a huff.

"Just checking." I giggled. I knew that I had definitely struck a nerve.

"Dammit Jewel" The pissed off Koga composed himself once more, taking deep breaths in and out.

"How'd I get here?" I asked bluntly.

"Whaddya mean? Don't you remember?"

"Remember?"

"I smelled Kagura while I was lookin for Naraku's castle and when I got there, I saw Kagura getting away with some old hag and...you." I couldn't help but notice a slight blush on his face. He must have seen my tainted form. That devilish look in my red eyes, the black hair that fell loosely down my pale back, the short outfit and most importantly the smirk and the voice that accompanied it all. _What happened to me?_

"Me? But, I don't remember seeing you there. The last thing I remember was...Inuyasha and Miroku...a-and Naraku, me..."

"You saw Naraku?!" He jumped to his feet instantly at the mention of Naraku. "Where was he?"

"I-I-I don't know. I just woke up there?"

"I'll be back."

He began to run but, before he could take off, I grabbed onto his leg. "Where are you going?" I asked him. He just looked down at me and shook his leg free. "Koga!" A shriek of agony left my lips.

"Are you alright?" he rushed to my side. I lifted my face to look into his blue Eyes when he said, "Jewel, your eye." I started to feel on my face. _Had something been wrong with it?_ My eyes he said. He must mean... "I'm getting Kagome."

"Don't leave me..." I begged him. Tears were beginning to flow from my ducts. _I never asked for this. I don't wanna be alone_. "Koga please."

He picked me up and lay me against a nearby tree for support. "Stay here with Ginta and Hakkaku." With his words, he disappeared in a whirl wind, leaving me there on the ground.

"Ko-ga-" I uttered. I tried to lift myself from the ground but, Ginta and Hakkaku came running to me as fast as they possibly could.

"Jewel you gotta stay put." Ginta says.

With a nod, Hakkaku quickly agrees with his dimpled friend. "Yeah. If Koga found out we let you leave, he'll surely kill us." But, their word fell on deaf ears as I had already begun following after the young wolf leader.

"Jewel!"

"Come back!" They begged me. "Please?"

"Don't worry. Ko-Koga can't smell me. He'll never know."

"Well I guess... No you gotta stay...put?"

"Where'd she go?" Hakkaku asked as he looked at his dimpled friend who responded with a simple shrug.

* * *

Before Ginta could even finish his statement, I had already found Koga's shard location and left. When I arrived, I was graced with the sight of Koga flirting (or attempting to flirt) with Kagome.

"Depending on your story, I could kill you." I heard Inuyasha say, being as protective over Kagome as usual.

"Heh, just like always eh, Dog-turd." Koga smirked. "Even when I just look at you, you get all tense and irritated. Kagome aren't you tired of being with this jerk?"

"Hey Koga! Stop being so rude!" I heard the little fox boy scream. "Inuyasha is only upset because he remembers that you stole Kagome! You're making a big mistake if you think he's always like this." Which, in fact, he was.

"Hey Koga!"

"Don't leave us behind!"

"The wolf demon tribe..." Miroku inquired. _Damn Ginta and Hakkaku to hell._

"I actually came here for something important." I hear Koga say as he takes a seat on the hard ground.

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha was very skeptical of Koga's words. "What's that?"

"I wanna know where Naraku is."

"If we knew, we sure as hell wouldn't tell you." Inuyasha says, annoyedly. I could see his eyebrow now being all twitchy and what not.

"What if I told you it was for Jewel and not me?"

"Jewel?"

"You've seen her?"

"Yeah she's in my shards right now." He says ever so nonchalantly. "Isnt that right, Jewel?" I refused to answer him. "Ah c'mon jewel!" "She's being stubborn today."

"Yeah well I hate to break it to you but, she's stubborn every day."

"I have to agree with you there mutt-face. I think she's just scared." Koga says in an attempt to coax me out of his shards. It won't work on me. "If she wasn't _a little kid_, she'd come out and let Kagome purify her."

_It worked._"I'm not a kid!" I yell through the shards.

"Then get the hell out of the shards, Jewel!"

When I manifested out of the shards, long black locks fell into my face. "Your hair is black." Kagome said.

"Yeah yeah. Now can we get this over with?" Kagome nods and motions me to come and sit by her on the ground.

Inuyasha stood and walked over to Koga, eyeing him evilly. "You can go now wolf. Let _us_ take care of Jewel."

* * *

It took some time but, Kagome finally finished the purifying on me. "Thank you Kagome." She nods as I turn to the direction that Koga had ran in earlier.

"Where ya' goin', Jewel?" Inuyasha asked.

"I've gotta go back to Koga. He has the only pure jewels that I know of and I have to recharge." Inuyasha nods and everyone waves as I send my soul to the shards of the wolf.

I can hear voices outside the jewel. Koga and...Naraku... I was hesitant. The last time I saw Naraku, I was tainted. _Should I chance it? _It wasn't a question. I come out of the jewel and look Naraku in the eyes that were hidden in his usual baboon costume.

"Jewel?"

I ignore Koga and turn to Naraku. "Why are you here, ape?"

"Just visiting..." his malicious voice trails on. I zoned out for a bit, ignoring him completely, when a pale, lilac haired man was released from his cage. He had shackles and a muzzle covering his face. "And thank you for your delivery jewel." After Naraku speaks, the man, I believe his name was Juromaru, cut him down. Of course it was a simple demon puppet but, the fact that one of his incarnations would cut down their own master was nearly absurd. I never thought I'd see it.

In my haze of thoughts, Juromaru came flying at me. "Jewel!" I heard a familiar voice wake me accompanied my the clang of a sword to the ground.

I saw Inuyasha first then Kirara landing behind him. "Inu-" I began.

Before I could thank him, he interrupted me with, "You gotta pay attention."

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Though just as I spoke, Juromaru lunged at me yet again. Still on the ground, I try to run but, I managed to dodge him for a good amount of time but I felt a spark of pain through the wrist of my sleeveless left arm which caused a missed step that could have nearly ended my life.

Nearly.

"Jewel!" Koga snatched me up in that moment and begins running in the opposite direction of the battle, leaving Inuyasha and the others to fend for themselves against Juromaru.

"Put me down Koga!" The wolf just ignored my protests as he continued running. Soon I could smell Ginta and Hakkaku and I knew he was planning on leaving me there. With them. Again.

"Koga?"They ask looking up from their surely riveting conversation.

"Yo." He greeted them with this ridiculously cheery sounding voice. I'm sure he had a huge smirk on his stupid face. But, I wouldn't know because this wolf boy literally is just against putting me down.

"Koga. Put. Me. Down!" I yell, banging my fist onto his back.

"Huh-? Oh that's right." Looking over his shoulder with this sort of uninterested look, he just releases his hold on my waist causing me to face plant into the dirt below.

"Why you little-" There were so many things I wanted to call him just then. you could only imagine how much I wanted to stomp him into the very depths of the Netherlands.

Completely ignoring all the conversation around me, I eventually hear either Ginta or Hakkaku (I wasn't paying attention due to the pain I felt on my face) ask Koga, "Isn't Kagome there?"

"IDIOTS! Why didn't you-! Ughh!" And he runs off to save Kagome, leaving Ginta, Hakkaku and I to discuss the meaning of life and anything else we can until he got back. I would have followed after him again but, I would have been a nuisance. I'd just be in the way the way I am now.

When Koga finally returned, it was late at night. All the wolves and the boys were fast asleep but, I just couldn't sleep on the ground like they could. So, I sat staring at the moon until the fearless young leader of the wolf demon tribe made his appearance.

"Don't scare me like that." _No hi or anything. Classy._

"Scare you? I was perfectly fine." I didn't look at him but, I knew that he had sat down next to. Honestly, there was no way to describe this situation. However, despite being a dog, he smelled great. _I don't wanna be mad at such a scent. Damn it, nose!_

"You were not."

"I was"

"Were not."

"I was"

"Were not!" By this time, Koga was mere inches from my face. I was definitely angry at him but, I couldn't help but to squeal internally. The moonlight illuminating his figure above me. His brow was furrowed as his blue eyes stared daggers into me. Even still, Koga was beautiful. What the hell am I even saying?"

"When did you get so kind Koga?" My words came out of my mouth tasting venomous. I didn't mean for them to but, I just had to shake this feeling. "Aren't demons supposed to be heartless? Of course Inuyasha wouldn't count being only half, right?" _BOOM! Comparing him to Inuyasha! Score!_ "Dont waste your time worrying about me."

"I was just-" His eyes grew soft as he hovered over me.

"Oh right. She's your woman, right? Kagome is." I say, my voice annoyed at him for everything. For being cute, seducing my nose, worrying about me. _No one ever worries about me..._ "Is that why? Is that why you can worry about those that aren't in your pack? So you don't disappoint her? So you can get her approval?" I turned my back to him. I just didn't want to see his face right now but, I didn't want to not see it either... "Where does that leave me, **friend**?"

"Jewel, I-"

"Don't mind it." I shrugged, still facing away. I felt an awful pit in my stomach at this point. I couldn't keep it down. "I'm being silly. Just forget it..." my voice grew soft. I just met him. How does he have this power over me? The Sacred Shikon no Tama falling prey to a demon?

"Where are you going?" He says grabbing my wrist.

I rip my arm from his grasp. "Where can I go? If I went to where Kagome's shards are, I'll get tainted. I don't know where any of the other shards are and all I have is you right now." And I left him to his thoughts as a take my night walk.


	8. AN: Sorry

Hey everyone...

So I was going through my emails the other day and I noticed I had 6 untouched ones from . So I clicked on them and all 6 of them were of people who had favorited one of my incomplete stories. I know it's only 6 people and not like a whole lot of people but the most recent email was from last week. LAST WEEK! These stories haven't been updated in how long? Very long. In a very Very VERY- CRAZY LONG TIME! That's so crazy. So I just wanted to say thank you for that support it means so much to me. It truly does.

I'm not gonna give you an excuse for why I was gone. I will never do that but, let's just say that I will be off and on at times but I'll always come back. Promise.

Also as you will notice I have changed my name here from DragonQueenArion to LadyParisofMerp. I have no idea why I decided to change it buuuut here we are so... Yeah. Well I guess my name is Paris and my favorite word is Merp but... Rambling. Sorry...

Expect some form of update soon. Thanks for Everything. Later.

~Paris


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